Retractable and disposable urinal

ABSTRACT

A retractable and disposable urinal which can be retracted, can be directed and can be joined with a plastic conveyer to the male or female organ and comprises: a plastic retractable tube formed by a plurality of convolutions, having at its bottom a closed convolution and at its top a hollowed neck closed at its bottom side where an absorber polymer is put, the conveyer entering the neck opens the protection film and the membrane of the neck allowing the polymer to fall down the tube, this polymer when is in contact with the urine absorbs it and transforms it in gel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The problem of urine-emergency borns when someone can not movenormally his body and therefore needs an urinal. Up today a lot ofsolutions exit on the market in order to solve this problem generallyfocused to avoid the traditional urinal and to be a disposable product.

[0002] All these solutions are basically formed by three parts, as shownin FIG. 1:

[0003] An unisex plastic conveyer (1),

[0004] A storage plastic bag (2),

[0005] A pouch (3) filled with an absorbing polymer.

[0006] Why these products work badly.

[0007] The solderings made on the plastic bag between the two layers andbetween the bag with the conveyer, being made manually, sometime are notperfect causing a possible dripping.

[0008] The difficulty to direct down the bag when the user is bedridden.

[0009] The pouch with the absorber polymer being very sensitive to thehumidity loses its property very soon specially if stored where themoisture in the air is high.

[0010] The reaction time of the polymer is prolonged by the barriereffect of the material used for the pouch, generally paper or non-wovenfabric, which, under the influence of the expansion pressure has to bebroken into fragments dispensing the polymer, it means time which, inthat moments, the user has not.

[0011] In case of a recycling, the present disposable urinals have someproblems because formed by two different components and the expulsion ofthe urine become gel is difficult because is amalgamated with thefragments of the pouch.

[0012] Another aspect to be considered is the production cost.

[0013] The present disposable urinals are constructed manually makingthese operations:

[0014] The plastic bag has to be soldered at its top in order to give itan inclination,

[0015] The conveyer has to be soldered to the plastic bag,

[0016] The pouch (produced on another line) with the polymer has to beinserted into the bag,

[0017] The whole product has to be folded and inserted into an anotherplastic bag, which also has to be soldered.

[0018] It is calculated that for these operations, which are totallymanual, the required time is more than one minute.

[0019] For a disposable product all these costs have to be avoid.

[0020] Another aspect to be considered as background of this inventionis the use of this invented urinal also for incontinence and assubstitute of the catheter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0021] The crux of the present invention is to make a retractable anddisposable urinal having the following characteristics:

[0022] Easy to handle,

[0023] Easy to direct,

[0024] Easy to recycle,

[0025] Low volume when stored,

[0026] No pouch filled with absorbing polymer,

[0027] Reaction time of the absorber polymer very fast,

[0028] Low production cost.

[0029] In order to reach these characteristics the urinal will be madeas shown in FIG. 2-FIG. 3-FIG. 4-FIG. 5-FIG. 6, where:

[0030]FIG. 2 is a front view of the urinal of the present invention, asin the case of its extension -A-, as in the case of its compression -B-and the cross section of the male (6) and female (14) conveyer.

[0031]FIG. 3 shows the joint of the tube (5) with the male conveyer (6).

[0032]FIG. 4 shows the operations made by the user for a proper use ofthe urinal and a special cap (7 b) capsulized into the preformed neck (7a).

[0033]FIG. 5 shows the production of a plurality of caps (7 b) with theprocess of the vacuum forming and its insertion into the neck.

[0034]FIG. 6 shows the action for taking away the compressed tube (5)from the tray

[0035]FIG. 7 shows the application of this urinal for incontinents.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 2 the tube, whose role is the urine storage, isformed by a plurality of convolutions (8) made with an upper ring (8 a)bigger than the lower ring (8 b) in order to enter easily each otherunder a compression of the whole tube.

[0037] The tube has at its bottom a closed convolution (9) with a biggerdiameter. At the opposite side of the tube a hollowed closed neck (7 a)is made whose role is to store and to keep dried the absorber polymer(4), its external ring (11) is close with a plastic film (12) solderedto its edge (13 a).

[0038] The tube (5) is produced with the process of the blowing mouldingusing a mould whose internal figures correspond to its maximum extensionFIG. 2A. Being the tube (5) long enough to store a complete miction thepolymer, when put inside, falls down at its bottom side. In this casethe property of an immediate gelatinizing is reduced because the urinegelatinzes the exposed surface but internally does not work. For thisreason, when the process of blowing is made also an essential oil willbe blowed inside the tube.

[0039] With this operation the polymer will adhere around the wholeinternal surface of the tube and progressively will gelatinize theurine.

[0040] Once the tube is produced falls into a assembling line wherethese operations are made:

[0041] Compression of the tube (5),

[0042] Inserting of the polymer (4) into the neck (7 a),

[0043] Soldering of the film (12) on the edge (13 a) of the neck,

[0044] Falling into the final packaging.

[0045] The production of this kind of urinal does not forecast anymanual operation because made in a proper assembling line and thereforeits production cost is very low.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 4 instead of the filling of the tubers neck (7a) with the polymer, a cap (7 b), which is filled with the polymer, canbe produced. This cap, once filled with the polymer will be covered bythe same film (12) soldering it on its edge (13 b), obviously this capwill be inserted into the neck (7 a) which, in this case, is not closedbut totally open.

[0047] The FIG. 5 shows how this cap is produced. It can be producedwith the process of the injection moulding but this invention forecaststhe production with the process of the vacuum forming for the followingreasons.

[0048] This cap has to be very thin,

[0049] It must have a big productivity,

[0050] It must have a perforated edge in order to allow a perfectwrench.

[0051] The vacuum forming process starts from thiny sheets or from rollsof rigid plastic material (A) the used moulds have a plurality offigures (41), the plastic material is softened by an oven and suckedinto the figures, after is cooled by compressed air or by ventilators.In this case a tray incorporating a lot of caps is formed. After thistray passes through a press which perforates the edge of every capformed into the tray.

[0052] The tray so obtained is put in an assembling line where thefollowing operations are made.

[0053] (B) The filling of the polymer (4),

[0054] (C) The soldering over the whole tray of a plastic film (12),after this soldering, and in the same station of the line, the edge ofevery cap is perforated (42),

[0055] (D) The insertion of each single neck (7 a) of the extended tube(5) into each single cap (7 b),

[0056] (E) The compression of each single tube.

[0057] After this operations which are done in a proper assembling line,the tray is full of single urinals compressed into the caps and readyfor the use. In other lines the male (6) and female (14) organ conveyersare made. They are produced with the process of injection moulding.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 2 both these conveyers have thesecharacteristics:

[0059] A specific fitting to the specific organ,

[0060] A bottom side which has internally an inclinated tube made like aspout (15),

[0061] A top side made with an enlarged edge (16).

[0062] How these urinals are used.

[0063] a—First application for bedridden patients,

[0064] b—Second application for incontinents.

[0065] In the first application the male-female conveyer has to beproduced with a hard plastic material as polyethylene or polypropylene,in the second one it has to be produced with a soft material as latex orpolyurethane or thermoplastic rubber or similar, because incontinentsmay stand on during the day and can have the urinal adhering to thegenital area for some hours.

[0066] The tube is the same for both these cases, eventually forstanding patients this tube can have a smaller diameter and a biggerlength, in order to have a similar volume which is more than 500milliliter.

[0067] For both these applications the use is shown in FIG. 4 where:

[0068] Firstly the user takes the conveyer (in the drawing it is shownthe male one) in a hand (A) and in the other hand (B) the compressedtube, which as referred, contains into its neck (7 a) the absorberpolymer sealed by a film (12) soldered around its edge (13). After theuser inserts the conveyer into the neck.

[0069] This insertion is easy because the shape of the inserting tube ofthe conveyer which has a double arms (20-21) for entering and forholding the edge of the neck, the beginning is facilitated because thebottom side of the conveyer is enlarged (20 a), as shown in FIG. 2.

[0070] The spout (15) enters progressively the neck cutting the film(12) and the membrane (10) supporting the absorber polymer and allowingit to fall down the tube (5), this parts (12-10) are partially cutbecause the shape of the spout and therefore remain in the position as ahinge obtaining the following results: the organ does not touch thepolymer because the protection of the film (12) and the urine does notdrip out because the barrier effect of the membrane (10) as shown inFIG. 3.

[0071] In this case this polymer will work in the best condition beingfree internally the tube and not incapsulated or fixed into layers ofpapers or non-wollen fabrics as all the other applications in the marketand its reaction time is very fast.

[0072] The nature of the absorber polymer can vary and consequently alsothe reaction time can vary. The most important polymers for this purposeare:

[0073] Cellulose-acrylonitrile - Carboxymethylated polysaccharideacrylonitrile and in general all the by-products of the polyacrilic acidand of the polyacrilonitrile

[0074] Also a natural component can be used for gelatinizing the urine:the dried and pulverized algas even if, in this case, the reaction timeis prolonged.

[0075] The second application of this invention, as shown in FIG. 6, isthe use of this urinal for incontinence.

[0076] The present invention can solve this problem because isessentially a retractable tube which can enter the hole (31) formed onthe device (30) properly made for this purpose and its use is quitesimple. Basically it is a suspensory bandage formed by a front part(32), which is in contact with the belly, and by three belts: the lowerones, right (33 a) and left (33 b), wind round the corresponding legs,the upper one (34 a) winds round the waist.

[0077] Once the tube (5) of the invented urinal is inserted into thehole (31) and is directed down along the legs, is kept in the rightposition because the male or the famale conveyer and their enlarged edge(16) can not pass through the hole and are in the right position forkeeping the male or female organs because are pressed by the suspensorybelts whose adhering force can be regulated because its closing system.

[0078] This closing may be made in two ways.

[0079] The first way to fasten the belts is inserting the pins (36),which are sewed or glued to specific points in the front part (32), intoone of the holes (35) giving the user the best feeling of tightness.

[0080] The second way to fasten the belts is the use of the detachableproducts known with the commercial names of Velcro or magic tape, alsoin this case the suspensory has three belts: the lower ones, right (38a) and left (38 b) wind round the corresponding legs and will be joinedto the Velcro (38 c-38 d) and the upper one (37 b) winds round the waistand will be joined to the Velcro

[0081] This application can be made also wearing normal underpants onwhich a hole is formed which allows the end of the tube (5) but not theexit of the conveyer.

[0082] It is clear that in this case the conveyer of male-female organhas not a perfect adhesion as with the suspensory

[0083] For this reason this invention can partially substitute theexternal catheters and the concerning urine-collecting bags.

[0084] Another aspect is to be considered.

[0085] The retractable tube (5) being formed by a plurality ofconvolutions can make a bellows-effect. If the user compresses andleaves the tube, as a pump, when the urinal is in the right positionadhering perfectly to the genital area, the tube can suck the urine inthose patients suffering of lack of miction, avoiding, in some cases,the use of the bladder catheters.

What is claimed is 1- A retractable and disposable urinal formed by aconveyer of the male (6) and the female (14) organs inserted into theurine-storage container which is a retractable tube (5) formed by aplurality of convolutions (8) of which the last one located at thetube's bottom (9) has a bigger diameter than the other ones and thefirst one located at the tube's top is a cave neck (7 a) closed at itsbottom by a membrane (10 a) where internally an absorber polymer (4) isput, the neck is closed at its top with a plastic film (12) solderedaround its edge (13 a), said neck instead of closed by the membrane canbe open allowing the entering of a special cap (7 b) which is filledwith the absorber polymer (4) and closed with the plastic film (12),said retractable tube has the property to be inclinated in all thedirections, said absorber polymer has the property to gelatinize veryfast the urine and is a product already used for this kind of purposesas the sanitary napkin. 2- A retractable and disposable urinal,according to claim 1- where the retractable tube (5) is produced withthe process of the blowing moulding using a mould whose internal figurescorrespond to its maximum extension, when the process of blowing is madealso an essential oil is blowed inside the tube because with thisoperation the polymer will adhere around the whole internal surface ofthe tube and progressively will gelatinize the urine, said tube iscompressed in an assembling line, properly made, where also thefollowing operations are made: inserting the polymer into the neck (7 a)and soldering the film (12) over the edge (13 a) of the neck. 3- Aretractable and disposable urinal according to claim 1- where theabsorber polymer, instead of inserted into the closed neck (7 a) isinserted in a special cap (7 b) which will be sealed by a plastic film(12), said cap is produced with the process of the vacuum formingstarting by a sheety or by a roll of rigid plastic film, the mould has aplurality of cavities with the exact shape of the plurality of caps inorder to produce a tray with a plurality of caps, said tray is put on aline which provides to fill all the caps with the polymer, to solder thesealing film (12) to the whole tray, to perform the edge of each singlecap (41), to compress each single tube 4- A retractable and disposableurinal according to claim 1- where the conveyer of the male (6) and thefemale (14) organs are produced with plastics with the process of theinjection moulding, said conveyer has a specifying fitting to thespecific organ, said conveyer has a top side made with an enlarged edge(16) and a bottom side which has internally an inclinated tube made likea spout (15), said spout cuts the external protection film (12) and theinternal membrane (10), said film and said membrane remain in theposition as a hinge being cut nor completely, said film protects theorgan, said membrane makes a barrier effect to the urine. 5- Aretractable and disposable urinal according to claim 1- which is packedin a proper assembling line, said urinal has a very little volume whenthe retractable tube is compressed, said urinal does not suffer thehumidity because the absorbing polymer (4) is kept dried beingincapsulated into the neck (7 a) or into the cap (7 b) protected by thefilm (12). 6- A retractable and disposable urinal according to claim 1-which once used can easily washed and recycled because formed by aretractable tube and a conveyer of organs made with the same plasticmaterial. 7- A retractable and disposable urinal according to claim 1-where instead of an absorber chemical polymer (4) which has the propertyto gelatinize very fast the urine, natural components can be used as thedried and pulverized algas. 8- A retractable and disposable urinalaccording to claim 1- which, with an appropriate device, can be used forincontinent patients, because is essentially a retractable tube (5)entering the hole (31) formed on the front part (32) of a specialsuspensory bandage (30) and by, at let three belts of which two windaround the legs (33 a-33 b) and one around the waist (34 a), said beltsare fixed to the font part (32) by a system of pins (36) fixed on thefront part and holes (35) preformed on the belts or by the Velcrofastener (37 a-37 b), said tube does not move out of the hole becausethe enlarged edge of the conveyer (6-14) can not go out from the hole(31) and the closing systems allow a perfect fitting to the genitalarea. 9- A retractable and disposable urinal according to claim 1- whichcan be used by incontinent patients wearing normal underpants on which ahole is formed on the genital area, said hole allows the exit of thetube (5) but does not allow the exit of the conveyer. 10- A retractableand disposable urinal according to claim 1 which is a valid substituteof the external catheter and the concerning urine-collecting bag becausethe retractable tube (5) for a better use is fixed to a leg by a string.11- A retractable and disposable urinal according to claim 1 which is avalid substitute of the bladder catheters and the concerningurine-collecting bag because the retractable tube (5) being formed by aplurality of convolutions makes a bellows-effect because if the usercompresses and leaves the tube, as a pump, when the urinal is in theright position adhering perfectly to the genital area, said tube sucksthe urine in those patients suffering of lack of miction.